Set in tropical North Queensland, Cairns make the ideal base for any traveller looking to explore Australia 's most stunning sights. While the city itself has a great variety of shops, bars and beauty spots to entertain the enthusiastic tourist, the wisest travellers take advantage of the hundreds of excursions on offer. You'll probably feel a little overwhelmed on your first browse through what's on offer; here are our top three recommendations to help you choose!

1) The Great Barrier Reef and islands

The beautiful Great Barrier Reef is undoubtedly one of, if not the, must-see sights of Australia . The range of tours is huge and there is one to suit every budget. The Reef if dotted with several islands, all of which are visited on a daily basis by tourist boats. Choose from brilliant activities from scuba diving to glass-bottomed boat tours, from snorkelling to helicopter rides! Less expensive trips take you to the islands on the edge of the reef where you will also be treated to stunning, tropical underwater wildlife. Be prepared to pay a little more to go further into the Reef and to hire equipment for scuba-dive equipment. Trips will take from forty-five minutes to 3 hours each way. There's no danger of getting bored - in addition to the views, the crew are sure to entertain you and fill you up with a delicious BBQ lunch! Most tours include the return boat ride from Cairns port, lunch, and snorkelling/diving equipment with the option of extras such as hikes across the islands and glass bottomed boat tours.

How much?
$40 - $200 depending on what you want!

2) The Daintree and Cape Tribulation

How many chances do you get in life to see a 135-million year old rainforest?! The area covering the Daintree River and Cape Tribulation is famed for its lush forests, rugged peaks and sandy beaches! Travellers flock to the Daintree area of Queensland to enjoy hikes through the ancient forest on the look out for some of its fascinating inhabitants. Most tours will take you from Cairns by coach for a full-day excursion into the area. Once there you are normally treated with a delicious lunch before heading of on hikes across tree-top pathways and a ferry ride down the Daintree River . There are stay-over options available for those wanting more time to see this natural wonder. Excursions to the area take around an hour and a half each way.

How much?
$20 - $200 depending on how you get there (it is possible to hire a car and drive most of the way), what excursions you want to do and whether you want to stay overnight.

:3) Atherton Tableland 

Atherton Tableland blends two sides of Australia 's charms in an area where arid outback meets tropical forest. The area is best reached by car; this scenic journey takes just over an hour from Cairns . For those wanting to be able to take their eyes off the road and enjoy the scenery, a regular bus service also connects the two. This is the perfect place to spend a day or two exploring its beautiful lakes, waterfalls, national parks and forests. Along with all this, the area has bustling cities and rural villages to explore. For a traditional outback town to fulfil even the most romantic notions of rural Australia try a visit to the town of Chillagoe . Visit the Crater Lakes National Park and surroundings for striking natural scenery. Both of these lakes are perfect swimming and picnicking spots and there are plenty of camping options for those wanting to stay a little longer. Another absolute must-see is the 16km 'waterfall circuit' which will show you the most picturesque falls in the area. The list of attractions in this area goes on and on! We recommend spending a few days in the area to make the most of it.

How much?
Any budget can enjoy the Tableland due to the array of things to do there!